sorry, charlie - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 2000 by Abigail Chipley

If you're casting about for another reason to go vegetarian, look no further than the recent findings of a national panel of scientists. Last July, researchers from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a report that came to an alarming conclusion: An estimated 60,000 babies born each year could face learning disabilities and neurological damage--all due to a fish meal or two consumed by their mothers while pregnant.

Certain species of fish, particularly large predators like tuna and swordfish, and shark, are often contaminated with mercury, which accumulates in their bodies when they eat smaller fish from tainted waters. Many freshwater fish in polluted areas like the Everglades and the Great Lakes also harbor dangerous levels of the metal.

Much of this mercury is the by-product of industry, particularly the electric power industry. Coal-burning power plants collectively spew out more than 40 tons of metal into the air each year, which then falls into our lakes, rivers and streams. Ironically, though, it's this very industry that we have to thank for the NAS's frightening report.

Five years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set a new, stricter standard for acceptable mercury levels in fish but was opposed by the electric power industry. The power industry aggressively lobbied Congress and--big surprise--Congress banned the EPA from imposing new regulations on power plants that would have lowered mercury emissions. Instead, Congress commissioned the NAS to do a study on mercury exposure. Now--another big surprise--the NAS report has confirmed that the EPA was "scientifically justified" in setting the stricter mercury standard. This finally opens the door for the agency to force the electric power industry to clean up its act.

But the water, and the fish, aren't safe yet. The EPA'S revised mercury standard covers only recreationally caught fish, which accounts for a small portion of the 18 pounds of fish the average American eats each year. Most of the fish consumed in this country is caught commercially and is thus regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA's standard allows a level of mercury that is five times greater than the EPA's, and it doesn't seem likely that it'll be revised any time soon.

"The FDA has been hiding behind calls for more studies for the past 10 years," says Michael Bender, executive director of the Mercury Project, a public health organization located in Montpelier, Vt. "It cares more about the fishing industry than it does about the welfare of children."

The data the FDA has amassed is hardly ambiguous, though. Its records indicate that almost 40 percent of swordfish, 33 percent of shark and 4 percent of large tuna exceed even the agency's own lax standards for mercury levels.

"Women who are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, should not be eating tuna, swordfish or shark, period," says Bender. "One can of tuna a week or just one single meal of swordfish could be enough to cause permanent neurological damage to their fetuses." Bender also advises parents to limit the fish consumption of children under age 7. For adults, the risks aren't as high. Even so, mercury poisoning--which can result in hearing loss, fatigue, hair loss, tremors and sometimes death--isn't unheard of, especially in coastal communities, where people typically eat large amounts of fish.

Furthermore, Americans' fish consumption is rising--it's up a full 25 percent since 1980--thanks partly to nutritionists who recommend it as a heart-healthy alternative to red meat. Now it's becoming apparent that at least certain species of fish are not so healthy after all. But if that's not enough to convince people to pass up seafood, environmental groups have another argument. They point out that many of the species that are contaminated with high levels of mercury are the same ones that have been consistently overfished, particularly swordfish. According to Merry Camhi, Ph.D., a senior scientist at National Audubon's Living Oceans Program, "We're taking swordfish out of the water so fast, they don't even have time to reproduce. That's one of the reasons we've been urging people to give swordfish a break." As it turns out, you might be giving your health a break too.